1911 – Plumbers at work on the drain pipes at Washington’s Griffith Stadium start a fire that burns down the grandstand. Since the water has been shut off, firemen can do nothing. Stands will be rebuilt to play the home opener on schedule.
General Taylor acquires the rights to a parcel of land known as the Dana Lands, a property once owned by a leader of the Sons of Liberty named Francis Dana, at a public auction for $120,000. The Red Sox minority owner’s acquisition will become the site of the team’s new home which will be named Fenway Park.
On July 1, 1910, White Sox Park opens in Chicago to a crowd of 24,000, 1,100 less than capacity. The White Sox lose to the St. Louis Browns, 2-0. The $750,000 ballpark, later renamed Comiskey Park, after team owner, Charlie Comiskey. This stadium will close in the fall of 1990, to be replaced by a…
On June 27, 1910 The White Sox play their last game at the 39th Street Grounds, losing to Cleveland, 7 – 2. @ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IGp1c3QgY2xpY2sgdGhlIHRhZ3MhICAiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsImxpbmtfdG9fdGVybV9wYWdlIjoib24iLCJzZXBhcmF0b3IiOiIgfCAiLCJjYXRlZ29yeV90eXBlIjoicG9zdF90YWcifX0=@
On February 10, 1910 Ground is broken in Chicago for a modern concrete-and-steel stadium to replace the obsolete South Side Park. The White Sox will play their first game at Comiskey Park, originally known as White Sox Park, on July 1, losing to the St. Louis Browns in their new home, 2-0.
Forbes Field opens in Pittsburgh, PA with a sell-out crowd of 30,332 watching the first-place Pirates lose, 3 – 2, to the Cubs. Built at a cost of over $1 million, it is the most expensive ballpark built to this point and the first to feature amenities such as elevators and an underground parking garage for motorcars.
Playing their last game in Exposition Park, the Pirates score four runs in the 1st inning off Mordecai Brown and sail to an 8 – 1 win over Chicago. Lefty Leifield is the winner. Tomorrow, the Pirates will move to Forbes Field, named after British General John Forbes, who captured Fort Duquesne during the French and Indian War.
The 61-year history of Shibe Park begins with the A’s defeating the Red Sox, 8-1. The Philadelphia stadium, which will be renamed to honor Connie Mack in 1953, is the first concrete and steel ballpark in major league history.
1909 – The Pittsburgh Pirates begin construction of their new stadium near Schenley Park near the Oakland section of Pittsburgh. The state-of-the-art stadium will be named Forbes Field in honor of John Forbes, a pre-Revolutionary British general.
The Highlanders (Yankees) announce plans to play their Sunday home games this season at Long Island’s Ridgewood Park. In March, the National Commission’s chairman August Herrman will announce he will not allow the club to play there due to the proximity of the ballpark to Brooklyn, the home of the National League’s Superbas.
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